Innholdsfortegnelse for November/December 2020 i Popular Mechanics South Africa

’IM LIKELY THE 927th person this month to have mentioned it but, man, has this year been heavy. So in the interest of keeping things light as we close out 2020 – a year during which we’ve spent more time at home than anywhere else – I thought I’d mention a few of the observations I’ve made over the past seven or eight months. In no particular order, here they are: Why is it that load-shedding kicks in just as you’re about to log into an important online meeting? Lesson learned: I really need to connect an uninterrupted power supply to my modem and router to keep my fibre functioning 24/7. I just cannot stand dogs that bark incessantly, or rather, their owners who seem oblivious to it. While there…

TAKING OUT the garbage at home is never fun, but it’s just something that has to get done. And things are no different when you’re living in space, even if you’re Commander Chris Cassidy, and you’re in charge of the crew of the International Space Station (ISS). This image was taken in August during Expedition 63, a long-duration mission to the ISS, which, historically, welcomed the two-man crew of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon Demo-2 Endeavour spacecraft at the end of May this year.…

THIS BOOK is not science fiction. Technology is redefining every aspect of our lives and, according to Jenny Kleeman, birth, death, food and sex is where all the big stuff is happening, right now. In her new book, Sex Robots & Vegan Meat, Kleeman travels across four continents and visits the darkest parts of the internet to explore the inventions that will fundamentally change what it means to live and die. In the book, she speaks to scientists, humanoids, designers, ethicists, entrepreneurs and provocateurs, people who strongly believe that technology can let us have the lives we truly desire without sacrifice. Intrigued yet? This sensational book will change how you think about lab-grown meat (and the idea of clean meat) as well as the business of baby carrying. The biobag,…

IMAGINE MARIO is made out of paper and that he is placed in a world where origami is both evil and good – where confetti can fill holes in the game world, caused by giant, stomping papier mâché enemies. And then try to picture colourful streamers that are wrapped very tightly around Princess Peach’s castle, each taking you on an unravelling journey where you’ll battle enemies and bosses, and discover Vellumental powers that push your gameplay to the next level. This is Paper Mario: The Origami King for Nintendo Switch, a paper-craft universe with a sprawling, interconnected RPG world. What really shines is how intuitive and creative the gameplay is. It doesn’t make a difference if you’re sailing the great sea or river rafting, on a train, or exploring vast…

VIVO Y30 VIVO LAUNCHED in South Africa in 2019, initially with some wallet-friendly entry-level devices. And while the Y30 still boasts a friendly price, it’s packed with features and useful functionality. Standouts are the 6.47” Eye-Protection touchscreen, 4 GB of RAM and 128 GB of inbuilt storage (expandable up to 512 GB using a microSD card), the AI quad-camera system on the back (including a 13 MP main lens with an aperture of ƒ/2.2, an 8 MP wide-angle lens, a 2 MP super macro-, and a 2 MP bokeh camera), 8 MP selfie front camera, and a whopping 5 000 mAh battery that provides quite an impressively long user time. If you have the right cable, you can even use the phone to charge your other devices. Out of the…

THERE’S A HIGH probability that you’ve been throwing something useful and valuable right down the plughole in the kitchen. We’re talking about aquafaba, which is the viscous liquid that you usually drain out of tinned legumes such as chickpeas before you use them. During the cooking process, proteins, carbohydrates and other water-soluble nutrients leach from the chickpeas into the water. The result is a thick and slightly gloopy liquid that, perhaps surprisingly, has led to a vegan-cooking revolution. Aquafaba is quite a special find as it mimics many of the functional properties of egg whites. It has similar gelatinisation, foaming, binding, and thickening properties, and is nearly flavourless when baked. Though the liquid from legumes such as lentils, white beans, kidney beans and black beans has similar properties, chickpea aquafaba…

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This whole lockdown thing has really separated the practical people from those who choose to do other things in their spare time. I’m fairly sure that if a survey were conducted, most of the handymen (or should that be ‘handypeople’?) will say that the extra time at home has been a blessing in disguise, not having to go shopping and on other errands. It’s also been a time when a library of previous issues of POPULAR MECHANICS has come into its own, helping to stimulate the creative juices. POPULAR MECHANICS inspires and is a reminder that nothing is impossible; the answer is in you, or out there – you just have to keep at it. This is especially true for me with my chosen hobby. Since my retirement six years…

SOLVING THOSE pesky quadratic equations from high school algebra just became a lot easier. Dr Po-Shen Loh, a mathematician at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, has derived an easier way to solve the classic sequence of squares, roots, and variables. Quadratic equations are often used in business to forecast profits, find minimum and maximum points, or determine the trajectory of a moving object. They include an x2, and teachers use the equations to show students how to find two solutions at once. Loh’s new process, outlined in a video on his personal website, circumvents the traditional methods such as ‘completing the square’ and makes it simpler to find the solutions in fewer, more intuitive steps. Loh, founder of a maths-and-science- focused learning startup called Expii, said he came up with…

Watching (or rewatching) Star Wars seems straightforward. After all, the movies are all labelled numerically, right there in the title crawl. But with the introduction of the prequels, sequels, and one-offs, fans have gotten creative when searching for the ultimate way to watch. We’re partial to the Rinster Order, named after a particularly dedicated fan. It helps preserve The Empire Strikes Back’s big plot twist while also giving Vader’s revelation more narrative weight. Once we learn of the relationship between Luke and Vader, we’re treated to a three-film flashback, exploring how such a dark lord of the Sith came to be. THE RINSTER ORDER 1 A NEW HOPE 2 THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK 3 THE PHANTOM MENACE 4 AT TACK OF THE CLONES 5 REVENGE OF THE SITH 6 RETURN…

Honeybees pollinate crops, but what happens when there simply aren’t enough local bees? Can you bring in more? Is it healthy to move hives? The Internet of Things (IoT) can help beekeepers to manage their hives better using Bee- Hero, a smart IoT device on the top bar of a hive frame that measures temperature, humidity and sound via sensors. All the data is sent to BeeHero’s cloud and, using machine-learning algorithms, the data is analysed and compared to a bigger database. In its early stages, BeeHero collected data from 10 hives; it now works with more than 20 000. It’s so highly regarded, because instead of delivering endless streams of raw data to a beekeeper, it provides usable insights and alerts, such as if a queen is missing or…

School buses in the US cost $2 500 to $5 000 and come in three sizes: short, midsize, and full-size. A short bus offers the manoeuvrability of a van and is popular for people who spend most of their time outside. Midsize offers a good blend of drivability and space. Plenty of couples live happily in their midsize buses. In a full-size, you can live with all the elements of a home, including space for kids or pets. Short LIVABLE SPACE 7–10.5 m2 CONVERSION COSTS $5 000–$10 000 Midsize LIVABLE SPACE 12–17.5 m2 CONVERSION COSTS $7 000–$14 000 Full-size LIVABLE SPACE 19–25 m2 CONVERSION COSTS $10 000–$20 000…

FOR CAR ROOF- and bike racks, streamlined stowage boxes, cargo carriers, child-seat solutions, and all manner of luggage and bags, Thule’s range is comprehensive, made with careful attention to detail and, most of all, tough. And now the popular Chasm luggage collection has been expanded, bolstering the selection for travellers, especially those bent on outdoor adventures. The weather-resistant tarpaulin fabric has two new colours too, while the new Chasm 26 L backpack swallows up your everyday accessories with its dedicated padded pockets, and laptopand sunglasses compartments. The Chasm Carry On and Wheeled Duffel models feature hard-wearing Thule V-tubing channelling on their telescoping handles and, if you’ve flown anywhere, you’ll know that durability is key when it comes to luggage handlers and your bags. The oversized wheels cope well with uneven…

STRAY STRAW SOLUTION Recently, as a birthday present (finally 13!), my mom and dad gave me a can of Q20. By the time it got to me all wrapped up, though, that pesky red spraying straw had disappeared. Mom had a look around but it was nowhere to be seen. She was going to take the can back to swap it for one with a straw but some unforeseen things happened that delayed that. In the meantime the Q20 was sitting on my work table and I was itching to use it… Then, one night, I was just fiddling around when I had a eureka moment. I was staring at a piece of insulated wire when I realised that the insulation would fit the straw hole! I quickly stripped off…

0.29 GIGAHERTZ The faintest frequency that the telescope can detect 10 Years it takes to paint the entire structure 33 600 SQUARE KM The size of the National Radio Quiet Zone 148 M HEIGHT OF THE GBT 6 500 HOURS Time per year the telescope spends observing the sky 4 600 LIGHT YEARS The distance, from Earth, of the most massive neutron star ever detected, which was discovered by the GBT in 2019 7.7 MILLION KG The weight of the GBT 8 500 People who live in Pocahontas County, where the GBT is located 2 004 Panels in the GBT’s parabolic dish, each one the size of a full mattress…

Managed bees and wild bees both pollinate. This is important because pollinators hold biodiversity and natural ecosystems together. If it weren’t for pollination we wouldn’t have plants, and without plants we wouldn’t have healthy soil or clean air. And while grains, for the most part, are pollinated by wind, at least 75 per cent of the world’s food crop relies on pollination, including nutrient-rich foods such as fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds, as well as cash crops such as coffee and cocoa.…

UNDER ARMOUR’S objective has always been clear – to inspire you to be more active through its performance-apparel solutions. It doesn’t hurt that their gear looks so darn good, too. The brand is always innovating, coming up with technologically advanced designs and fabrics through rigorous research and development work. Both the Recover Woven Warm-Up track pants and Storm Woven Full Zip Jacket are products of this approach. While the pants aren’t skin-hugging tights but have a fuller cut for comfort, the mineral-lined fabric still directs infrared heat back towards your muscles, aiding recovery post game or -training. The fabric repels water, without compromising breathability, and the four-way stretch construction allows for a wide range of movement. The jacket boasts a wind-resistant construction, stretch-woven sleeveand side panels (for manoeuvrability), as well…

PIERRE REVIEWS PIERRE PIENAAR, GEAR SPECIALIST K-WAY LITE 40 HIKING PACK I’ve owned several backpacks over the years, and hiked a few hundred kilometres with quite a heavy weight on my back. I’ve also worked as a salesperson at Cape Union Mart and fitted dozens of backpacks for my customers. I’ve even packed a few backpacks for customers before their hike, so I’m quite proficient at the art of fitting and packing a backpack. It was during the first 4 km of the Otter Trail, with a grossly overweight backpack, that I started learning the value of minimalist hiking. We’ve all heard the old hiking clichés about the importance of weight, but it’s with experience that you learn to hike with less gear. I saw the value of this when…